Sea Haven Way
by caffeineisthenewblack
Summary: As she relays the news to her eldest daughter, all she can hear is the voice in the back of her head saying... I should have been there. MAJOR CHARACTER ILLNESS. No one dies. I promise (with a forehead kiss!)
1. Chapter 1

Nick's penthouse was... luxurious, to say the least.

The new Mrs. Skolka had been enjoying this luxury for the past month. The newlyweds were trying to find their way through all of the ups and downs that went with cohabiting with someone new.

So far, so good. At least...until Nick started asking her about when she planned on moving all of her things in.

He had asked again last night, as they lay in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Grace sighed, fidgeting with the spoon in her teacup. She loved Nick. She knew he loved her. He loved her for who she was. He was a good man. She had married him because of all those things and more.

So why is it that every time she thought about moving all of her things out of the home she shared with Frankie, she felt physically ill?

She missed her. God, she missed her so much.

"_There's just one thing... I ummm... I married Nick last night." _

_She held up her left hand, holding the simple gold band up for Frankie to see. She felt sheepish, and almost... ashamed? _

_She watched as realization overcame the expression on her best friend's face,_

_followed by shock, and then... devastation?_

_She watched as her best friend turned away from her, and sank down on her knees to the sand below them. _

_Not knowing what to do, she knelt down beside her._

_They sat that way, in silence, for what seemed like an eternity to Grace. _

_And then, suddenly, Frankie faced her, took a deep breath and said "Congratulations. I... I'm happy for you."_

_And then, just as suddenly, she got up, turned away, and walked back to their beach house. _

_Grace gingerly stood up, not an easy task after her knee replacement, and called after her. _

_But Frankie just kept walking. _

_It was later on that night, as she lay awake in Nick's arms while he slept, that she remembered seeing Frankie frantically wipe at her eyes with her hand. She had been crying. _

_Grace allowed her own tears to fall, then. She knew in that moment that nothing would ever be the same between she and Frankie, that so much would remain left unsaid between them. _

_She missed her already._

"Morning, sweetheart."

Grace was startled out of her thoughts by her husband's sudden presence and his lips kissing the top of her head.

"Hmmm. Morning."

"You're up early." She watched Nick place a Sumatra coffee pod into the Keurig.

"Yea, well. When you get to be my age sleeping in usually isn't possible."

He shrugged and finished preparing his coffee. "What were you planning on doing today?"

Grace sighed. "I'm not sure. I was thinking of maybe heading to the beach house... so I could see..."

"So you can start packing up your things? Oh that's great! I'm glad you finally decided!"

Grace closed her mouth at the interruption. "_...so I could see Frankie."_

"Yea... well... it has been a month after all. You're right. It's time." She swallowed hard. Could she taste bile in her mouth?

He grinned and kissed her sweetly on the mouth, then caught a glimpse of the time on his watch. "I gotta get ready, honey. We have a few important things we need to get done at the board meeting today."

Grace nodded. "No problem. I'm just going to text Frankie to let her know I'll be over."

"Sounds good. Tell Kooky hello for me will ya?"

Grace grimaced. She hated that nickname. "Oh, I will."

When Nick retreated to their bedroom, she grabbed her phone and sent Frankie a quick text. _Hey, girl. Thought I would stop by today. Are you going to be around?_

She waited for a few minutes, to see if Frankie would respond, or if she would even read the text. It had been almost a week since they had last spoken. It had been an awkward exchange, full of small talk and pleasantries. It was as if they were back to being Mrs. Robert and Mrs. Sol again. And Grace hated it.

Fifteen minutes and one cold cup of tea later, she decided to just get ready for the day. Sitting there staring at the phone wasn't going to do her any good.

Leaving her phone behind, she heads to the bedroom. She hears Nick finishing up his shower and starts picking out her clothes for the day. She decides on some dark gray leggings and her favorite pink sweater. It was chilly today and she wanted to be comfortable if she was going to be at the beach. Her gray pair of flats would complete the look.

She had just started to lay the clothes on the bed when she heard Nick whistling, and she smiled at him.

"Sweetheart... it's been a month... when I finish this deal up at work, which hopefully will only take a few more days, we can start talking about where you would like go to for a honeymoon." He headed into his walk-in closet to get dressed for the day, but he could still hear her so she decided to indulge him.

"I don't care. Anywhere is good. Just not Paris... too cliché."

She hears him laugh and she chuckles in response.

That's when she hears the familiar sound of her cell phone ringing, the generic ringtone blaring from the kitchen.

_Frankie!_

She hastens to the kitchen, grabbing the phone off of the counter. She's a little surprised and more than a little started to see Bud's name across the screen.

_What could be be calling her for? Unless..._

"Hello? Bud? What's wrong?" The words came out jumbled, her own voice unfamiliar to her.

There's a pause. Bud's voice is strained.

"Grace, mom had another stroke this morning."

Grace can't breathe. Her hand grips the phone like a vice. _Oh God. No._

_No no no no. Please God. Not Frankie_. She manages to find her voice after a moment, closing her eyes.

"Oh God. Is she...?"

"The doctor says it's serious. She was alone for over an hour after it happened before I stopped by to visit and found her. They... they induced a coma." His voice breaks. "We're pretty scared, Grace. Look I... I know you and Mom haven't exactly been close these last few weeks but..."

"I'm coming. I'll be there as soon as I can get dressed. Which hospital?"

"Kindred. Thanks, Grace. Could you call Mallory and Brianna for me?"

"Of course. Do you need anything?"

"No, we're good for now. Dad is here with Robert and Coyote. The doctor said he would be out to speak with us in a little while."

"Ok." Grace bites her lip. "She will pull through, Bud. She will. Frankie is tougher than all of us."

"I don't know about that. She looks... so small. I've never seen her look that small."

"Shhh...I'll be there soon, okay?"

She hangs up and for a minute all she can do is stand there, her hand clutching her chest.

She hears Bud's words in her head like a terrible mantra. _She was alone for over an hour after it happened... She was alone for over an hour after it happened..._

She rushes back into the bedroom, tears she didn't know had fallen on her cheeks, and heads into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. For a second she thinks she might be sick, but after a few calming breaths she manages to right herself and she brushes her teeth, then makes a half-hearted attempt at combing her hair.

Her movements are quick and precise, and she walks out of the bathroom with a stricken look on her face. She knows Nick is speaking to her. She knows he's concerned. But all she can do is methodically put on her bra and underwear, then her leggings, then her sweater. Where are her socks?

"Grace?! What is going on? Talk to me!" Nick has her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at him.

It's as if an invisible force has snapped her out of her haze. She narrows her eyes at him. "Frankie is in a coma! A coma, Nick!" Her voice sounds nothing like her own. It's a shrill, frantic sound. "She had another stroke! She was alone. ALONE, Nick! For an hour, before Bud found her! And now she is in a coma!"

"Oh my God...Grace l..."

"Bud and Coyote need me, and I need to be there. If you can't get out of your board meeting to take me to the hospital then I will take an Uber but either way you need to get out of my way so I can find my socks and get out of here!"

Nick nods. "Of course I'll take you! Which hospital?"

"Kindred."

He nods, moves out of her way and while she resumes her search for her socks, he grabs his phone to send a few messages to postpone the meeting.

Three minutes later, Grace is in the passenger seat of Nick's Mercedes. She hasn't spoken another word to him since she told him which hospital Frankie was in. She searches through her contacts and calls Brianna, her heart hammering in her chest.

As she relays the news to her eldest daughter, all she can hear is the voice in the back of her head saying...

_I should have been there_.


	2. Chapter 2

They make it to the hospital in record time.

Though unnecessary, Grace practically verbally abuses the administrator when she asks what they were there for. Nick is rubbing her back in silent support.

The administrator directs them to the sixth floor, and gives them detailed directions to get to the ICU.

She's silent in the elevator, and on the walk to the family waiting room next to the ICU.

Sol spots her, first. He immediately stands up and hugs her.

Grace looks stricken when she pulls back. "Have the doctors said anything?"

Bud stands up and rubs Grace's back. "No. Nothing. They are moving her into a permanent ICU room and then we can sit with her, two at a time."

Grace nods. "Okay. I called the girls and they will be here soon."

Grace sits down on the vacant sofa, and Nick sits beside her. He sighs awkwardly. It had not been lost on him that Grace had barely acknowledged him since they left the penthouse. "I'm going to head to the cafeteria. Does anyone want anything?"

Grace shakes her head, as does Coyote, Bud and Sol. Robert stands up. "I'll join you. A walk will do me good. Besides, these four are going to need some nourishment eventually."

Grace can't help but sigh in relief when they leave. She looks around and realizes that there are probably no four people on earth who love Frankie more than them.

Coyote gets up from his chair and moves to sit beside Grace. She squeezes his hand. "I wish the doctor would hurry it up already. I uhhhh..." She swallows as she chokes on a sob. "I really need to...see her..."

Bud gets up and sits on her other side. "Shhh...Grace...it's okay..."

Grace shakes her head and hides her face in her hands, doubling over as her elbows brace her knees. "No. It's not. I should have been there with her, Bud. I should have been there and then maybe this wouldn't be so serious...I should've taken care of her..."

Sol finally speaks up. "Grace... this wasn't your fault. No one blames you. You fell in love. You got married. Frankie was happy that you were happy. She said so!"

_But she wasn't happy_. She takes a deep breath. "I should have put more effort into spending time with her. Newly married or not. Frankie is my best friend."

Knowing that no one would be able to convince her otherwise, the four of them sat in silence until Nick and Robert returned with coffee and some fruit and pastries from the cafeteria.

"Believe it or not, the coffee is palatable." Nick grinned and handed Grace a cup. She mumbled a thank you and sipped on the coffee, continuing to stare straight ahead, lost in her own thoughts.

Nick put his arm around her, and paused when she practically flinched away from him. "Grace...look, I know you're upset...but you know Kooky, she's tough..."

Grace's head snapped to look at him. "Stop calling her that!"

Nick sighed. "Grace, why are you snapping at me?"

"This isn't about you, Nick. It's about Frankie! I am not going to fight with you right now. I just want to sit here and wait for the doctor with my family to see what he has to say. She's going to need me and I just need to focus on her. If you can't handle that then get the hell out here!"

Nick puts his hands up in defeat. "Okay, Grace. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off as insensitive. I know how much Frankie means to you..."

She looks up at him and sighs. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just scared..."

He nods and opens his arms up for her. She rests her head on his chest and he wraps her up in his arms. She allows herself to stay there for a minute longer, until she hears the unmistakable sound of her offspring bickering down the hall, their voices getting louder as they got closer.

She pulls back from her husband's arms and stands up to greet them. She's surprised when Brianna wraps her arms around her so tightly that she almost falls over. "It's okay, honey...it's okay..."

Brianna is still holding onto her when Mallory speaks. "Have the doctors said anything?"

Grace pulls back and wipes the tears off of her eldest child's cheeks. She whispers words of comfort, something she hasn't had to do for her incredibly bright and sarcastic, beautiful girl since she WAS a little girl. She registers the conversation going on between her youngest and the boys, about Frankie's condition, but she is more concerned about Brianna. She knows how close she and Frankie are.

Brianna finally calms down enough to talk. "Mom...is she really in a coma?"

Grace nods. "Yea, honey. We are waiting for the doctor to come out...and then we can all go see her, two at a time...okay?"

Brianna nods, and leans into her father who by now had moved to stand behind her.

They all sit in relative uneasy silence for what seems like another eternity. It's Bud who spots Frankie's doctor walking towards them, first. He stands up which prompts the rest of them to follow suit.

Bud swallows hard. "Dr. Peterson, how is our mother?"

Coyote moves to stand next to his brother as the doctor explains that this is a critical time for Frankie, that they should all talk to her when they go sit with her as there is a good chance she can hear them. He tells them they have no idea what her side effects may be from the stroke, and will only be able to tell once she wakes up. He tells them that there is a chance she may never come out of the coma, but that he remains hopeful.

Grace's heart is pounding in her ears. She feels like she is suffocating. She sits down on the sofa and hugs her arms around her chest, watching as the doctor finishes talking to the boys and as he walks away. She wishes she could comfort them, wishes she could say something that would make all of this better, but she knows she can't.

Mallory sits beside her. "Mom, are you okay?"

Grace nods, swallowing hard. "Can we see Frankie now?"

It's decided that Bud and Coyote will sit with her first. Sol and Robert follow, and then Brianna and Mallory take their turn. The wait is unbearable for Grace, but at the same time, she's terrified of seeing her as any less than the bright, colorful woman she knew.

She stands up as Mallory and Brianna walk towards her. They look stricken. She holds her arms out for them, and for the first time in many years, they both fall into her arms, and she holds them the way she always wanted to, but never knew how.

After a few minutes, she pulls back from them. "You two should go home and get some rest."

Mallory shakes her head. "No, Mom. We're gonna stay a little longer..." Brianna nods in the affirmative.

"Okay..." she clears her throat. "I guess it's my turn..."

She sees Nick walking to her out of the corner of her eye. "Ready?"

She shakes her head. "No I...I want to go alone."

Brianna narrows her eyes. "Are you sure, Mom? Do you think that's a good idea?"

Grace nods. "For four years Frankie and I have conquered every challenge thrown at us together...just the two of us. This is just something else we need to face together."

Nick sighs, disappointed. "Are you sure?"

Grace nods again. "Listen, Nick...you don't have to stay. Go home. Get some rest. I know you rescheduled your meeting for tomorrow and to be honest I don't see myself being able to leave here tonight. Go. I'll be fine."

He reaches over and kisses her softly. "Okay...but you call me if you need me or if you need a ride home."

She nods again. "I will."

She watches him walk away, takes a deep breath and with an encouraging hand squeeze from her girls, heads down the hall to the room that held the biggest part of her heart in it.

She opens the door to room 324, and slowly lets the door close behind her.

She's unprepared for what she sees.

Frankie, her beautiful, vibrant Frankie, looked so small, and helpless, and so _pale_.

Grace gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. "Oh, God...Frankie..."

Her feet were moving towards the bed before she could register them moving. She sits on the chair beside the bed, and reaches for Frankie's hand.

She takes a deep breath. "Hey, Frances...you have to wake up for me, hmmm? I'm here. I'm right here. All you have to do is open your beautiful eyes and look at me, and from there we will get through this, okay? Do you need me to promise?"

She leans forward and kisses her forehead. "I promise, hmm? What can't the two of us do when we're together? Nothing. We're formidable and I know I haven't been there for you lately and...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Frankie. It seems all I ever do is hurt you, and you're the last person in the world I want to hurt."

She sits there for what seems like forever. She plays with her fingers, and pushes her hair away from her face. She tries to remember the last time she and Frankie had a day together, and it's hard for her to recall.

Tears are falling down her cheeks, and she rests her head next to Frankie's. "I love you...I love you more than anything...you can't leave me, okay? We aren't done with our adventures, you and me. Just open your eyes...please..."


	3. Chapter 3

Grace had been with Frankie for awhile. At least 45 minutes. The kids were starting to get concerned, so Coyote offered to check on her.

It had been one of, if not the, worst day of his life. He had been an addict for much of his adulthood, and had seen his share of bad days. But this...this topped them all.

He wiped his eyes and sighed deeply before walking into room 324.

He stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw before him.

There, beside his mother's still and unconscious form, was Grace Hanson, curled up and sound asleep. Her head was on her pillow, and her arm was draped over his mother's chest.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and couldn't help but smile.

_Grace really did love his mother_.

He decided to fetch one of Grace's own offspring to wake her up, so he wouldn't startle her.

He spun on his heels and headed back to his siblings.

Mallory stood up when she saw him approaching. "Everything okay?"

He nods. "Yea. All good. Just..." he gestures to she and Brianna. "Could one of you go wake your mother up?"

Brianna stood up. "Wake her up? Is she okay?"

Coyote nods. "Looks okay to me...she's just sleeping..."

Brianna sighs in frustration. "Why do you sound so cryptic? Ugh..." she decided to head over to see if her mother was okay for herself.

When she saw her strong, sometimes annoyingly so, mother, sound asleep beside her comatose best friend, she could feel her heart break. _Oh,_

_Mommy_.

She reached down and gently nudged her. "Mom? Mom wake up."

Grace's eyes flutter open and her heart sinks when she takes in Frankie's still form beside her once again. "Hmmm?"

"Mom, come on. If the nurse catches you sleeping she's going to kick you out."

Grace rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up. She sighed in defeat. "Okay. I just...

I can't leave her, Brianna."

Brianna helps her mother up and she helps her sit down on the small love seat parallel to the bed.

They sit together in silence for a minute or

two, before Grace sucks in a shaky breath. "I've never been so scared."

Brianna puts her arm around her mother, and she allows her to rest her head on her shoulder. "She's gonna pull through, Mom. She will."

"She's the best thing to ever happen to me, you know? She surprised me. She changed me. She's the best part of me."

Brianna sighs. "She knows that, Mom. She feels the same about you."

Grace shakes her head. "Does she really know that? I married Nick. I abandoned her. I made a mistake."

Brianna narrowed her eyes. "A mistake? What do you mean?"

Grace sighed deeply, almost hiding her face in her daughter's shoulder. "I never should have married him."

"Mom, what are you saying?" _Oh God. My mother is in love with Frankie._

"I'm saying that when Frankie wakes up, because she _will_ wake up, or maybe even before that, I need to make some changes." Grace swallows hard. "It just...It isn't fair to Nick, it isn't fair to Frankie, and it isn't fair to me. I've spent my whole life it seems trying to be something that I'm not."

Brianna took a deep breath. "Wow, Mom. And... you're sure?"

Grace pulls away and pivots her body to face her eldest child. She doesn't think she's ever been able to be completely honest with her before and she knows that now is as good a time as any.

She sniffs and takes a deep cleansing breath, turning to face Frankie's still form before facing Brianna again. She takes her hand in her daughter's, lifts it to her lips and kisses the back of it lovingly. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I only wish I could have figured out what I wanted sooner. Maybe then I wouldn't have been so unhappy, maybe then I could have been a better mother to you and your sister. Maybe then, the love of my life wouldn't be clinging to hers right now."

Brianna can't help it when her eyes fill with tears. "God, Mom. She will. She will!"

Grace nods. "I know she will. I know. And when she wakes up, she's going to need me. I need to put her first. I don't know what her condition will be and how much physical therapy she will need but... I need to be here for all of it. So... " she clears her throat.

"The sooner you talk to Nick, the better." Brianna finishes her sentence for her.

Grace nods. "Listen, sweetheart. Please don't tell anyone about this, okay? I need to talk to Nick, and fix things with Frankie before this all becomes part of our family discussions."

Brianna nods. "Mom don't worry. I won't say anything. I swear."

Grace smiles and wraps her arms around her. "Thank you, honey."

Grace leaves the room only to use the facilities and try to stretch her legs for the next few hours. The kids all take turns sitting vigil in Frankie's room with her.

Grace doesn't want her to wake up without her there. She needs her to know she isn't alone, and that they will get through this... together.

Nick stops by, but she sends him away again. She can't leave Frankie and she won't be able to talk to him until she knows that she's out of the woods.

It's the middle of the night when, while Bud sleeps on the love seat, Grace feels the fluttering of fingers in her hand.

Her eyes widen and she gasps. "Frankie? Honey...?"

She watches as her beautiful eyes start to flutter open. She immediately presses the call button by the bed to alert the nurses, and calls for Bud to wake up and tell the kids that Frankie was waking up.

She starts to cry when she turns back to Frankie. "Hey, Frances...come on... come back to me, hmm?"

She watches as Frankie's eyes flutter open completely and focus on her. "Grace...?"

Grace nods. "I'm here. I'm right here...you...you're going to be okay, Frankie. I'll take care of you. I... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Frankie furrows her brow. "Sorry? What... for?"

Grace manages a sad smile for her. "For marrying him. For not staying with you..."

Frankie's eyes widen and she wants to respond, but is finding it hard to focus enough to say anything more.

She focuses on Grace when the doctor comes into the room and they start examining her and asking her questions.

She knew she felt weak, especially on her left side. Her mind felt foggy, her speech slower than usual. But all she could think about was...

"Grace?"

Grace was immediately at her side. "Yea?"

"You mean it? What... you said?"

Grace nods. "Yea, Frances. I meant it."

Grace knew that Frankie's lopsided smile was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

She knew that this was only the beginning.


End file.
